vegan event Tomoko Tahara vegan event Tomoko Tahara

Plant-based fine dining secret dinner.

In the realm of culinary adventures, there's something captivating about a secret dinner. 

It's not just about the clandestine nature of the event; it's the promise of an exciting gastronomic journey that sets it apart. 

My initial foray into the secret dinners began with a humble concept: a popup focused on the art of slow cooking and research-based cuisine. 

It was an exploration of flavors, textures, and techniques—a journey through the hidden gems of my pantry and the fruits of my R&D.

But as the wheels of creativity turned and my culinary vision evolved, I yearned to delve deeper, to create an experience that was more intimate, more refined, and distinct. 

Thus, the idea for a curated, informal but elegant affair was born.

At the heart of this clandestine gathering lies a commitment to culinary excellence. Every dish is a testament to planning and unwavering dedication. 

From the selection of unique ingredients to the delicate art of fermentation, each element is carefully orchestrated to deliver a variety of flavors unlike any other.

Drawing inspiration from traditional Japanese culinary techniques, I've infused the menu with a sense of reverence for the craft. 

It's a celebration of simplicity and complexity, where every bite tells a story of centuries-old traditions and modern innovation.

But beyond the food itself lies the essence of the secret dinner experience—a sanctuary of relaxation and conviviality. 

As guests gather around the table, the ambiance is serene, the atmosphere electric with anticipation.

Here, conversation flows as freely as the wine, as guests share their insights and discoveries with newfound friends. 

It's a rare opportunity to engage in spirited discourse about food, flavors, and the art of dining—an experience that transcends the boundaries of time and space.

And as each carefully crafted dish is unveiled before a small group of discerning diners, it becomes clear that this is more than just a meal—it's a journey of the senses, a celebration of culinary ingenuity, and a testament to the power of shared experiences.

So, if you find yourself yearning for an adventure beyond the ordinary, consider venturing into the world of secret dinners. For within the confines of these clandestine gatherings lies a world of endless possibilities—a world where every bite is a revelation, and every moment a memory in the making.

Tickets and details, menu are here.

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Japanese burdock vegetable

These burdock on the photo is a specific type of burdock vegetable commonly found in Japan. We are lucky to have a glower here in Vancouver.



Burdock itself is a root vegetable that is often overlooked or underrated. It has a distinct earthy taste, which is being compared to the taste of the soil or earth.

When it comes to local Japanese burdock, it is important to note that it is typically more expensive in the market compared to imported burdock varieties. This indicates that it is considered a high-quality and sought-after vegetable.

What sets this burdock apart is its unique flavor profile. It is known for being flavorful with an earthy and muddy aroma. Additionally, it has a touch of sweetness, which adds to its overall taste experience.

it has a certain dryness, so it requires some processing or preparation before being cooked in a dish.Also unique bite texture. It is fibrely, if you cook properly, the texture gets tender.

Japanese variety of burdock vegetable that has rich flavor, earthy aroma, and subtle sweetness. 

We will serve the burdock for a part of our main course - Karaage.



After careful deliberation, a change has been made to our menu. In lieu of the originally planned slow-cooked burdock, we are thrilled to present our patrons with an exciting dish - burdock and artichoke karaage. Though karaage may sound ordinary at first, we assure you that this rendition is anything but average.

Considerable effort has been invested in crafting a dish that showcases intricate layers of flavors and textures. Our attention to detail begins with the special burdock itself, which has undergone special preparation techniques. By tenderizing the burdock , we have created a culinary delight that promises an exciting flavor and texture experience.

To elevate the meal's character, we have chosen to serve it with a side of mushy peas, a beloved British classic. However, we have infused our own twist into this familiar side dish by incorporating pumpkin seeds and yuzu citrus, which impart a refreshing and vibrant element to the plate.

For those seeking an extraordinary seasoning experience, we present a traditional Japanese addition - @tsuentea Matcha salt. This unique seasoning boasts refreshing notes that beautifully complement the dish's richness, resulting in a harmonious balance of flavors.

Initially, we contemplated serving the main course with a pine cone reduction sauce. However, after careful consideration, we have decided to omit it from the dish. Nonetheless, for the curious and adventurous, we may offer it on the side bbq-ed onigiri rice balls. Our commitment to maintaining a well-balanced flavor profile led us to this decision. Actually, it is perfect for the rice balls. Slight pine flavour and tamari..

This dish promises to captivate discerning palate. We invite you to join us on a culinary journey that celebrates innovation and showcases the true artistry of our kitchen.Event tickets are here.

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Great grapes

vegan experimental farm to table dinner at Burdock and co

I was at farmers market to look around interesting vegetables that I only can find at the market.

Stoney paradise farm. They are famous for tomatoes, their tomatoes are flavourful and sweet, they have huge line ups when they are at the market.

I saw they are selling coronation grapes - and I was wondering how do they taste like. I tried a grape berry - wow. It was amazing.

The grapes are in our second course, eye ball beets.

Cherry blossom flavoured slow cooked beets. Beets are stuffed with local hazel nut cheese.The grapes are on the centre, it is tiny part of the dish but their flavour is bold, perfect with floral flavoured beets.

Serving with plum seed flavoured dashi broth. The plum pit flavour is from Denmark’s famous distillery Empirical’s liquor.

Flax seed crackers on the side.

Our dinner pop up event at Burdock and co, tickets and details are here. Don’t miss it - this is our last pop up 2022

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Trick, or…Dinner

Trick or dinner. vegan farm to table dinner pop up vol.11

Finalizing the menu ideas for my event on 18th October.

Today is a test for a snack. Planning to make a “black tart”.

My experiment went well. I was originally thinking to make it very thin crusts but, it looks neat and ancient when I made thicker crust with unfinished touch of shapes. It is perfect for my theme.

The dough is made with activated charcoal, Canadian ancient grain red fife flour from Flourist.

The filling is made with local potato with truffle flavour, chestnuts, vegan caviar.

Vegan farm to table dinner vol.11 at Burdock and co “Nightmare before halloween” tickets link is here.

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It’s quince season

Vegan farm to table dinner at Burdock and co

I love smell of quince. I’m looking forward to have it this time of the year. Conversely to the aroma, they are tuff, dry taste when you try it raw.

I cooked them as savoury with yuzu, Mexican mint, organic sugar, vegetable dashi broth and salt.

Additional, Mexican mint has great aroma, it smells like tarragon and mint, a hint of vanilla.

You will try this sauce with a rulade dish, at my vegan dinner pop up at Burdock & co. 18th October.

This is the last pop up 2022. Don’t miss it. Tickets link is here

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Ancient Japanese tofu dish

Do you know Gisei tofu? It is one of ancient menu item made by a Japanese monk.

It is like a tofu based cake or baked tofu terrine. Made with tofu, lots of vegetables… and normally, eggs.

The original story behind this dish is the vegan monk who wanted to eat eggs secretly made it, it is hard to tell it looks like including eggs.

My version is made with tofu, some Japanese burdock, carrots, other vegetables and nettles.Instead of eggs, it is with long taro.

You can try it at our event, Will travel for food. Event tickets are here

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Beets carpaccio

Beets carpaccio. Sounds like ordinary? Ours is special.

10+ hours roasted charred beets that inspired by a dish that Christian Puglisi was doing at Relae.

He charred the beets with a jasper and roasted long hours, with a few process like carefully cut them like sashimi and with unique seasonings, he called it fish.

Our version is the roasted charred beets with a few processes, will serve them with almond crackers, sorrel aioli, salted plum, grapes, pickled chive flower buds.Using elder flower vinegar is also Puglisi’s idea but the vinegar is house made, also the flower is from wild that I harvested in the summer.

You can try the menu at our event, Maest food presents vegan contemporary dinner series Far East vol.9 “Fruits rules” at Burdock and co(2702 Main street).

14th September, 5:45pm seating / 8:00pm seating. Ticket holders only. (you will be required to show vaccine passport at the door, the gouverment order effective from 13th Sep)

The ticket price is including a 7 course tastings dinner, a glass of wine, cold brew coffee and a dessert. We will have a wine bar for your extra glasses of wine.

Ticket order is here. Limited numbers. We only have a few spots left for each seatings.

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Cheese board, green walnut

Finished for a test for one of a menu for vegan contemporary dinner series vol.9 Far East.

We will feature Vancouver vegan’s favourite, plant based cheese shop, Blue Heron’s products.

We call it “board”, cheese samplers are on a pear compote(the cheeses on the pear are ideal, we don’t have actual products yet since we need to serve them fresh).

Pears.When I saw the pears at a farmers market, I bought it right away.

They looked like a treasure that I found in a cardboard, beautiful product.(And actual taste is perfect too)

Green walnuts. I received them from a farm where I took a field trip to, and then preserved in pickling liquid in mid summer.

I’ve tried the taste of nochino before but not pickled green walnuts.

After fermented a few days, the liquid got so black and I was excited how strange they are. Then left it about a month.

When I tried them two weeks ago, it was slightly too bitter and I thought I can’t use it for the event. Then I tried it again this week -happy surprise! It wasn’t bitter. Food science and time made a magic. Wonderful fragrance, unique texture and taste. Great addition for cheese & wine snack.

Shiso. Found them at a farmers markets then made an extract, then jelly. Very unique flavour, in between anise, basils, and mint.

Try them at our event. September 14th at Burdock & co. 7 course tastings dinner with a glass of wine, cold brew coffee & a dessert. The details are here.

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Vegan weekend pop up -country style Inari bento

This weekend’s vegan takeaway pop up is “Inari bento.”

And it is country style. Foraged cherry blossoms and blackberry shoots, fiddle heads - Lots of fresh spring taste from the forest.

About the main item, “Inari” sushi is sushi rice in a puffed tofu pocket.

This version is open faced Inari sushi with foraged, wild vegetable toppings.

The highlights are Salted cherry blossoms, almond pulp miso pickled fiddle head, Espresso miso roasted eggplants.

Every content is made with thoughtful method to balance the each flavour, cured or marinated, etc.

A set with seasonal vegetable miso soup.

Pick up 24 & 25 April at Harken coffee, 338 Powell street.

Pick up time : 11-4pm.Limited numbers. Pre-order from our market site.

More photos and descriptions Tomoko Tahara instagram

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Vegan cereals

When I was working at Harken coffee, Tomoko Tahara made a series of flavoured puffed rice cereals.

Since the menu was dine in basis, the cereal was simple, combination of toppings and flavoured milk made the charactor of the cereals.

This time is packaged so it has flavours in the cereals.

There are two kinds. Tamari candied almonds and seeds, brown sugar oats, raisins and cocoa nibs. Nice variety of flavours and texture, and good saltiness from the Tamari.

An another one is marshmallow puffed rice and almonds, seeds, freeze dried blueberries.

Not only for your breakfast, they both can be a dessert with good creamy “m*lk”. & fresh fruits, and nice with vegan ice creams.

Oh wait! Vegan miso “butter” is new item too.

Available for online pre-orders, as well as in store at Harken coffee (338 Powell street)


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Vegan shawarma weekend

Shawarma..yes, its shawarma without meat. Our next weekend takeaway pop up at Harken coffee 338 Powell street. 27 & 28 March, 11:30-4:30. Pre-order basis.

Our House made shawarma and pickles(Blueberry flower pickling liquid), romaine, tomato, avocadoes, fluffy elegant pita from Super baba on Main street.

You can order online.

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Super slow cooked celeriac is the mock shredded meat.It took two days to process.

Wrap it up with flour dough - mixed some glutamine-rich flavours.

Wrap it up with flour dough - mixed some glutamine-rich flavours.

They look like giant meat balls?

They look like giant meat balls?

Slice, then braise, then some more process.

Slice, then braise, then some more process.

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Nettles

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These are for my weekend pop up at Harken coffee.

Farm and forest chirashi Bento box with miso soup.

Nettles are for the mochi in the miso soup.

We boiled, and mashed, then knead into mochi dough.

For more details of bento box, visit Mæst Market.

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Nettles are truly a gift from spring. Lots of nutritions.

 
 
 
 
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Spring harvest

Harvested some spring wilds. Butterbur, mustard leaves, miners lettuce, stingy nettles.

Spring is busy, exiting time for harvesting and preserve the edible plants.

So finalized the menu for this weekend’s take aways pop up at Harken coffee.

Important: We have to apologize about that we announced as we will be available for dine-ins, however Harken isn’t able to do 100% dining for food service now & this event is basically take out. Still you can enjoy coffee & food in the room but it will be self service basis.

Walk-in purchase is available but the numbers are limited, highly recommend to make pre-orders.

Anyways back to subject. Harvests. Introducing how to cook butterbur in traditional Japanese way.

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This plant has a hole inside of the stem. Some says it can be a straw?

This plant has a hole inside of the stem. Some says it can be a straw?

 
Clean the leaves and extra parts, salt.

Clean the leaves and extra parts, salt.

After salted, boil whole stems and peel the skin little by little.

After salted, boil whole stems and peel the skin little by little.

Voilà.

Voilà.

 
 
 
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Vegan bento pop up: Chirashi sushi

Maest food at Harken coffee : Vegan bento pop up 0.2 : Chirashi sushi.

Do you know Chirashi sushi? It’s basically like a poke, this is the quickest answer - it has long history. It have been commonly eaten in Japan since late 1800s, normally fresh fish (sashimi) on sushi rice.

This is vegan and artistically made- no fish at all, but variety of mocked fish and coulourful farm vegetables on the rice.

Ikura, marinated tuna, smoked salmon, kinshi tamago(shredded crape style egg) - all house made with vegetables.

Every content is made with thoughtful method to balance the flavour and texture, cured or marinated, etc. 

The chirashi sushi is in a beautiful wooden box, and also with Farm red potato Miso soup.

Available 20th & 21st March at Harken coffee 338 Powell street. Very limited number, highly recommend to pre-order online.

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Take a glance look for vegan take away lunch box pop up on 6th & 7th March / Kale caesar salad

Our pop up 0.1 : Vegan takeaway lunch box at Harken coffee.

Introducing one of menu items -

Kale caesar salad. Sounds standard again?

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What is special about the salad?

The kale is from organic farm, then the dressing is a big key.

It is sort of Japanese & vegan version caesar dressing.

Using Yuzu for the citrus flavour, a few of umami ingredients are also in it.

Toppings are buckwheat bread crumb and almond gremolata, dehydrated chick pea and capers, sliced olives.

The full menu of the lunch box :

Confit carrot, sunflower seed “cheese”, Crushed candied Tamari almonds

Charred broccoli with yuzu salt, shichimi, evo

Marinated, compressed Tempeh steak

Buckwheat Sourdough slice

Preserve sampler : Shiso rosehip jam

Kale caesar salad

$18 before tax

Limited number. Pre-order from Maest market, or just simply walk in to Harken coffee 338 Powell street.

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Take a glance look for vegan take away lunch box pop up on 6th & 7th March / Tempeh block steak.

Our pop up 0.1 : Vegan takeaway lunch box at Harken coffee.
What is in the box?

Introducing one of menu items -

Tempeh block steak.

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Tempeh steak sounds ordinary?

The secret is our marinade sauce.

Using Harken coffee’s espresso(decaf) & tamari, also infused smokiness from some umami ingredients.

The full menu of the lunch box :

Confit carrot, sunflower seed “cheese”, Crushed candied Tamari almonds

Charred broccoli with yuzu salt, shichimi, evo

Marinated, compressed Tempeh steak

Buckwheat Sourdough

Preserves : Shiso rosehip jam

Kale caesar salad

$18 before tax

Limited number. Pre-order from Maest market, or just simply walk in to Harken coffee 338 Powell street.

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Take a glance look for vegan take away lunch box pop up on 6th & 7th March / Confit carrots & seed cheese, tamari almonds

Our pop up 0.1 : Vegan takeaway lunch box at Harken coffee.
What is in the box?

Introducing one of menu items -

Confit carrots and seed cheese, crushed caramel tamari almonds.

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Confit carrots, using local farm carrots, I choose kind of ugly ones, they are flavourful and cute look, those carrots are my favourite. I used them often when I did my dinner pop up.I also added Daikon radish for the confit, Daikon sounds Japanese a lot, but it works for mediterranean or middle eastern food too. Confit with some oil, plus buttery richness of a secret ingredient.

The sunflower seed cheese(the pink saucy thing on the bottom) is fermented, orange flavour.

Caramel tamari almonds, it’s a rich flavour from the tamari soy sauce, let’s say - it tastes like salted caramel plus more flavour.

Anyways. All layers of flavour will make you happy.

The full menu of the lunch box :

Confit carrot, sunflower seed “cheese”, Crushed candied Tamari almonds

Charred broccoli with yuzu salt, shichimi, evo

Marinated, compressed Tempeh steak

Buckwheat Sourdough

Preserves : Shiso rosehip jam

Kale caesar salad

$18 before tax

Limited number. Pre-order from Maest market, or just simply walk in to Harken coffee 338 Powell street.

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Take a glance look for vegan take away lunch box pop up on 6th & 7th March / Rose hip jam

Our pop up 0.1 : Vegan takeaway lunch box at Harken coffee.
What is in the box?

We introduced about the artisan bread on the last post.

The preserve for the bread.

Rosehip and Shiso jam.


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Shiso is one of Japanese herbs. Tastes like mixed of basil, licorice, and mint.

The tanginess of the rosehip and the distinctive aroma from the Shiso herb are matching very well.

The taste of the jam reminds me plum jam, then I researched about those two plants - plums are a part of rose family. Probably that is because I reminds the taste of the plum jam?

Anyways.

Surprisingly, many of fruits such as pear, apples, cherries, strawberries and almonds, and more are Rosacae(rose) familly.

Ok, ok..back to the subject.

A mini sized jam is with the lunch box, also available full size at Maest market .

Our full menu on 6th and 7 th March.

Confit carrot, sunflower seed “cheese”, Crushed candied Tamari almonds

Charred broccoli with yuzu salt, shichimi, evo

Marinated, compressed Tempeh steak

Buckwheat Sourdough

Preserves : Shiso rosehip jam

Kale caesar salad

$18 before tax

Limited number. Pre-order the lunch box from Maest market, or just simply walk in to Harken coffee 338 Powell street.

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Glance look of vegan take away lunch box : Maest food pop up 0.1

We are so excited to launch our take away pop up at Harken coffee.

Introducing one of the contents of the lunch box - sourdough bread.

Joey Ridos will make us Buckwheat sourdough bread!

I’ve asked him to make it before when I was planning dinner pop up, however the restriction was changed at the time, the pop up was cancelled.

So this is sort of re-collab with him. His buckwheat bread is perfectly matching with Japanese flavours which I am going to use them for a hidden seasonings.

¨To-go style¨ lunch pop up at Harken coffee(338 Powell street).

It will be every weekend from March 6th with a weekly rotation menu .

The menu for March 6th & 7th :

Confit carrot, sunflower seed “cheese”, Crushed candied Tamari almonds

Charred broccoli with yuzu salt, shichimi, evo

Marinated, compressed Tempeh steak

Buckwheat sourdough

Preserves : rosehip jam

Kale caesar salad

$18 before tax

Limited number. Pre-order from Maest market, or just simply walk in to Harken coffee 338 Powell street.




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Maest food at Iktsuarpok coffee stand

Our Vegan hojicha chocolate chip banana bread is available at Iktsuarpok coffee stand (425 Carrall street )from Saturday, 27th February.

This banana bread is all about flavours, good smoky bitterness from hojicha tea & bitter sweet chocolate, aroma of caramel, fruitiness of banana..

Available by slices.

Vegan Hojicha chocolate chip banana bread.

Vegan Hojicha chocolate chip banana bread.

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